What Happens In the Vents
by rayofsunny
Summary: Zora hears everything from the vents. What will she hear when she visits the vent over Chad's dressing room?


Summary: Zora knows where all the vents lead to…and when she visits the one above Chad's dressing room, she hears his innermost thoughts. "So…what do I do?" Chad asked the little girl.

ZORA'S POV

I arrived at the So Random set early that morning. Why? Because I was on a mission. I knew all the ins and outs of Condor Studios, and I had a map of the vent system memorized. Some people think I'm weird for crawling around in small spaces but I know it has its advantages. Yesterday, for example.

_ I was crawling my way through the vents above the So Random set. I spied Nico and Grady in the prop house, trying to think of a way to get back at Murphy for not letting them take more than two pickles yesterday at lunch. I crawled past Sonny and Tawni's dressing room; Tawni applying makeup and admiring how pretty she looked, while Sonny was curled up on the couch reading a book. Nothing interesting here. I then crawled down to Marshall's office listening to him tell his mother over the phone that he did not want to meet a girl she played Bingo with. Boring. I kept crawling until I reached the 'Mackenzie Falls' set. I just love spying on those drama snobs. I overheard the director talking to a crew member about how Chad had been distracted lately, and was messing up more than usual in rehearsals. _I wonder what's got him all worked up. _I then crawled to vent above Chad's dressing room, and stopped to watch him. _

_ Chad was pacing back and forth across the room, folding and unfolding his hands nervously. He had a rotisserie chicken being cooked, but he did not even hear it ding when it was finished. I watched curiously as Chad stopped pacing and starting speaking. _

"_Sonny," Chad said. I froze. _

_ "Sonny, I know you don't like me-" Chad paused, and then muttered "No, that's not good." He tried again. "Hey Sonshine…No, that's worse…" Chad continued like that for a couple more minutes before he stopped, sat down and picked something up from his table. I gasped inside the vent. _It was a picture of Sonny! Why did _Chad _have a picture of Sonny?

So that brings us to today. I knew Chad had gotten to the studios early like I did, because I saw him pull up his car and park the same time my mom dropped me off. I ran as fast I could inside the studios, climbed into the vents, and went straight to the one above Chad's dressing room.

A few minutes later, Chad entered, singing the "Mackenzie Falls" theme song to himself. _He is so conceited. _ He threw his car keys down on the table, and picked up this week script for "Mackenzie Falls." At least that what I thought it was until I noticed two words in Chad's handwriting written on the back of the page: _Dear Sonny. _

Chad flipped the page over and tried to finish his little love letter. I noticed he had another picture of Sonny in his wallet, which he had casually thrown down next to his car keys. After a few minutes of silence, Chad collapsed on his couch and whined into his hands "What am I going to do!" I took this as my cue to announce my presence.

"Talk to her dummy!" I called out from the vents. Chad jumped about a foot in the air, and frantically searched for the source of my voice.

"Who's there? Who's invading CDC's privacy?" Chad yelled at me.

I laughed out loud, and hit the vent to notify Chad of my whereabouts. He jumped for the second time, and I laughed even harder. _This is too easy. _

"What are you doing!" Chad yelled angrily at me.

"Spying on you," I answered, shrugging my shoulders slightly. "It seems Chad Dylan Cooper has little drama of his own going on."

Chad scoffed.

"What are you talking about? I don't have anything going on," he lied.

"Sure Chad," I answered sarcastically. "Of course you don't. I've been watching you," I continued with my best attempt at being dramatic. "'I've seen the pictures…of _her,_ I've seen your pathetic little love letter…to _her_, and the way you look at her with …_those eyes_." I paused in a very Mackenzie-like pose.

By this point, Chad had given up on being angry with me, as he sat down on his couch again and looked at his fancy shoes. He sighed before speaking.

"OK," he confessed throwing his hands up as if he were accused of a crime. "You caught me. I_ like_ Sonny." I crawled out of the vents and stood next to Chad. He jumped a third time when he noticed my change in position.

"How did you-" he started, but I cut him off.

"Look, Chad, I don't do this often, but I'm going to help you. Not for you, but for Sonny. Trust me, she likes you. Why, I don't know."

Chad looked to me with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. _I had to hand it to Sonny-he _did _have sparkly eyes. _"She…likes me?" he asked, and I nodded. _Wow…he has it bad for Sonny. I've never seen him this nervous. _

CHAD'S POV

I looked at the littlest Random, feeling both uncertain and hopeful at the same time. _Is what she said true? _Does _Sonny like me? _

"She …likes me?" I asked, and she nodded. _What do I do now?_

"So…um" I start nervously, standing up and stuffing my hands in my pockets. "What do I do now?" I ask the little girl. She stood and up and gave me a piercing look with her eyes. She was leaning a bit too close to me for my liking.

"Chad?"

"Yes?"

"Do you _really _like Sonny?"

"Yes, I've had a crush on her ever since she tricked me when we were playing musical chairs."

"THEN ASK HER OUT ALREADY!"

"FINE I WILL!"

LATER THAT DAY

Zora was leading me down the hall to Sonny's dressing room. I was so nervous she had to grab my hand and pull me there. _Stupid cute Sonny, making me so nervous I have to be dragged to your room by a kid. _

Zora whispered "Good luck" and knocked on the door for me before running away. _Probably to spy on us from the vents._

The door opened, and Sonny stood in front of me. _Sonny…funny, funny, little Sonny. Stupid cute Sonny. _

"Chad?" Sonny asked me. _This is it…it's now or never._

"H-hey Sonny. Can I –can I come in?"

Sonny nodded and stepped aside to let me into the room.

"What do want Chad? I have to get ready for rehearsal soon."

"I…I, um…came to t-tell you something," I stammered. Zora's words from this morning rang inside my head. "Man up, Cooper! And tell her how you really feel!"

"Chad, are you okay?" Sonny asked me worriedly. Placing a comforting hand on my arm. I gulped, but nodded. I could feel my throat going dry and my heart racing inside my chest.

"Yes, I'm okay. And I, um," I stuttered, looking down at my shoes again. "I wanted to tell you…ireallylikeyou." I mumbled the last four words.

"What did you say?" Sonny asked sweetly. I noticed her hand had never left my arm. Looking at this, I suddenly felt braver. I looked right in her chocolate brown eyes and told her.

"Sonny, I said I really like you. You're smart, you're sweet, you're funny, you're beautiful…Will you go out with me?"

I felt her arms wrapped around me, and she whispered in my ear.

"Yes, Chad. I will go out with you."

I felt like I was on the moon. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I think you're cute, and sweet, and I like you too."

I really owe that little Random.


End file.
